Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
